The Topics at Noon Series will feature a special presentation by Ariel Gildengers, MD on March 29, 2018 from 12:00pm to 1:00 pm in the ADRC Conference Room S439 located on 4 South at UPMC Montefiore Hospital.
Over the past several years, there has been increasing interest in repurposing the use of lithium for diseases involving neurodegeneration. Lithium treatment has been associated with neurogenesis in the hippocampus, up-regulation of important neurotrophic factors such as B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) isoforms α and β. In particular, GSK-3α interacts with gamma-secretase playing a critical role in the conversion of amyloid precursor protein (APP) to amyloid-beta (Aβ); lithium has been shown to reduce Aβ production and memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) transgenic mouse models. GSK-3β phosphorylates tau, a critical step in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, and lithium has been shown to reduce tau phosphorylation in vivo and in vitro.
Dr. Gildengers will present on the newly launched study, Lithium as a Treatment to Prevent Impairment of Cognition in Elders (LATTICE). He will review lithium’s pharmacologic actions and therapeutic uses, the rationale for using lithium to prevent cognitive decline in dementia, and the clinical and epidemiological data supporting lithium as an anti-dementia agent.
Target Audience: physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, residents and fellows, physician assistants, nurses, social workers and other health professionals.
Educational Objectives:
1) Describe lithium’s pharmacologic actions and therapeutic uses
2) Identify the putative neuroprotective properties of lithium
3) Discuss the clinical and epidemiological data supporting lithium as an anti-dementia agent
Faculty Disclosure:In accordance with Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education requirements on disclosure, information about relationships of presenters with commercial interests (if any) will be included in materials distributed at the time of the conference.
Continuing Medical Education Credit. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Light Refreshments will be served. Registration not required.
For More Information. Please call 412-692-2700.
Sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer Disease Research Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Continuing Education in the Health Sciences
